ECONOMIC
JUSTICE

Economic Justice
A fair and thriving marketplace demands that consumer’s rights be respected and protected. This includes consumers of credit unions, banks, loan companies, rental properties, consumer goods, and more.
These issues often impact low-income Virginians the hardest. We can help pinpoint government programs, legislation, and other resources available that will benefit those living in low-income households. This includes advocacy training and directing consumers to representation.

HB2621: Promises of Savings for APCo Customers Won’t Bring Needed Immediate Relief
By Carmen Bingham, VPLC Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Project Coordinator HB2621, as…

Bank Fees Sent Him into a Debt Spiral
Thursday, February 6th, 2025 For Carlos Wimberly, the whole mess started at…

Paycheck to No Check: How Excessive Debt Collection Disrupts Lives
Tanya Webb is one of thousands of Virginians whose lives have been…

VA’s Lawmakers Can Improve the Legal Process for Collecting Debt
This session of Virginia’s General Assembly brings opportunities for lawmakers to pave…

Virginia’s weak laws allow debt collectors to push more families into poverty, but some legislators are trying to help.
As working families continue to struggle through a perfect storm of high…

Ward Scull: Honoring a Legendary Advocate for Fair Lending
by Jay Speer, VPLC Executive Director I have been thinking a lot…

VPLC joins Virginia’s Senators asking Governor Youngkin to allow direct file option
Direct File is the IRS’ first attempt to provide a free filing…

A win for transparency: ‘earned wage’ paycheck advance products are consumer loans
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today proposed an interpretive rule explaining…

Beware the Loan Sharks Still Circling for Consumers
Shark Week 2024: Be Careful Where You Borrow By Jay Speer, Virginia…

New Rules for Utilities & Customer Shut-Offs
Utility providers cannot shut off your service for unpaid bills during certain…

New Law Protects Virginians Against Utility Shut-Offs During Extreme Heat
As heat waves roll through Virginia, a new law to protect residents…

How do we fix Virginia’s housing crisis? Join VPLC for a Tenant Town Hall this summer
We don’t need to tell you, Virginia is in the middle of…

Virginia legal aid programs challenge debt buyers’ predatory practices in Virginia
By Jay Speer, VPLC Executive Director Last week Virginia legal aid programs…

Governor Youngkin’s vetoes keep low-income tenants at the mercy of slumlords
Thousands of residential tenants across the Commonwealth live in dangerously unhealthy conditions,…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: A win for Virginia consumers
U.S. Supreme Court delivers good news for consumers and fair business practices,…

ACTION ALERT: Our dysfunctional health care system can ruin the lives of Virginians.
HB1370, introduced by Delegate Karrie Delaney, prohibits medical providers from reporting medical…

People and history shaping Virginia
Read the Black History Month Proclamation, signed by Governor Yougkin: WHEREAS, February…

LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ALERT! VPLC’s 2024 Housing Advocacy
To download this sheet as a PDF, click here.

LEGISLATION ALERT! Zombie Mortgage Foreclosures
Help Get Rid of Zombie Mortgage Foreclosures HB 184 by Delegate Simon…

LEGISLATION ALERT! Enforce Fairness in Lending
Make probate loans comply with the Virginia Fairness in Lending Act HB…

LEGISLATION ALERT! Dump the Junk Fees
Disclose all Mandatory Fees and Charges VPLC supports HB1320 (McClure) and SB388…

Class Actions Provide Better Access to Justice
Vote YES on House Bill 418 (Simon) The Virginia General Assembly passes…

VPLC on Pod Virginia: Fighting Predatory Landlords, Lenders, and Realtors
VPLC’s Jay Speer and Christie Marra appeared on Pod Virginia this week…

Stop the Spread of Junk Fees
Protect Virginia Consumers: Vote YES on SB 388 (Pekarsky) TAKE ACTION! Please…

LEGISLATION ALERT! Don’t Keep Virginians in the Dark
Keep the Lights on for Virginians Experiencing Hard Times VPLC supports HB906…

Legislation Tackles Much-Needed Minimum Wage Increase
A proposal to incrementally increase the state’s minimum wage, from $12 to…

People are struggling but workplace payday loans are not the answer.
People are struggling to pay their rent, utilities, and buy food. We…

Exploitative Lenders Fight Back Against Fair, Transparent & Competitive Loans
Why are the payday lenders trying to destroy the CFPB? The Consumer…

We Can’t Create a Lending Loophole: Pay a Living Wage
A few days into the 2023 Virginia General Assembly session, VPLC learned…

VPLC’s Invitation to Oliver Anthony: Join Us!
Odds are, by now you’ve heard about that song from a country singer in…

VPLC Receives Virginia Law Foundation 2023 Grant
With need for access to justice at an all-time high and the…

Recognize the Signs of a Scam and Avoid Becoming a Victim.
It seems like scams are everywhere and sometimes it feels like there’s…

Work Requirements are Cruel and Insulting to Those in Need
During the debt ceiling negotiations, the topic of “work requirements” was front…

Matthew Desmond Book Event: Live & Virtual
Why does the United States, the richest country on earth, have more…

April is Fair Housing Month
In commemoration of Fair Housing Month, VPLC will host an open, online…

Remembering Our Dear Friend, Karl Bren
Our condolences are with the family of Karl Bren, a lifetime fair…
Reimagining Virginia’s Mobile Home Parks
Over 350,000 Virginians live in Mobile Home Parks. According to the Department…

A Win for Under-Served Communities Harmed by Local Zoning Decisions
The Supreme Court of Virginia has ruled that Hanover County residents can…

Save Children, Save Money: Support Improved Compensation for Attorneys for Low-Income Parents
SUPPORT Budget Amendment 44 #2s (Edwards): High-quality family legal representation has been proven to…

2023 Budget Amendments: Tell the Virginia General Assembly that Vulnerable Virginians Need Medical Coverage
VPLC encourages Virginians to contact lawmakers and ask them to support Senate…

Five Ways to Address the Virginia Employment Commission’s First Level Appeals Backlog
By Pat Levy-Lavelle, Legal Aid Justice Center and Flannery O’Rourke, Virginia Poverty…

2023 Budget Amendments: Support these Investments in Affordable Housing
Item 114 #12h (Delegate McQuinn)/Item 114 #27h (Delegate Coyner)/Item 114 #7s (Senator…

2023 Budget Amendments: Support these Studies & Model Policies
Item 114 #36h (Delegate Carr)/Item 118 #1s (Senator Ebbin): $500,000 ($200,000) for…

Don’t Forget Legal Aid on Giving Tuesday
Did you know that Virginia Poverty Law Center was founded in 1978…

VPLC’s Bar Stars Join Fight for Justice
Congratulations to VPLC’s newest attorneys, Anna Daniszewski and Flannery O’Rourke, who passed…

Calls to VPLC’s Eviction Legal Help Line Increase 500%
Now that important tenant protections have expired, Virginia courtroom dockets are stacked…
Lonnie “Chip” D. Nunley, III Selected for Pro Bono Award
It’s been said that the best way to find yourself is to…

Virginia’s Eviction Crisis
Since July 1, Virginia has seen nearly 16,000 new eviction cases, marking…

Grant Aims to Improve Access to Justice
VPLC is the recipient of a $32,500 grant from the Virginia Law…

Final Settlement in Class Action Suit Pays Hundreds of Millions from Illegal Internet Lending Schemes
Gibbs v. Elevate, Gibbs v. Stinson, Brice v. Stinson The US District…
Hundreds of Richmond Renters Get a Crash Course on Legal Rights
A Community Education and Engagement Specialist with VPLC’s Housing Advocacy team recently…

Federal and State Lawsuits Fight ‘Slumlord’ Operating in Virginia
The Virginia Poverty Law Center, Consumer Litigation Associates and Kelly Guzzo have…

PRESS RELEASE: Class action settlement provides $489 million in relief to victims of illegal internet payday lenders
After three years of extensive litigation, the settlement will provide relief to…

PRESS RELEASE: Statement from the Virginia Poverty Law Center and Legal Aid Justice Center on Gubernatorial Vetoes of HB573 and SB297 (Medical Debt Reform)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 14, 2022 Virginia Poverty Law Center and Legal…

2022 Session Update: Week Two
This was a busy week at the General Assembly for VPLC advocates. We…

2022 Session Update: New Leadership, Same Mission
The 2022 General Assembly is off and running, with 1,938 House and…

How Upfront Fees Make Rental Housing Unaffordable
An update from VPLC’s Director of Housing Advocacy, Christie Marra The NY…

Celebrating National Energy Efficiency Day – and Continuing the Work to Rebuild Virginia’s Energy Landscape into a Balanced and Equitable System
October 6 is National Energy Efficiency Day. Today’s post comes from VPLC’s…

Update on Eviction Protections in Virginia
A year and a half into the pandemic, laws around tenants’ right…

2021 Special Session Recap: How VPLC’s Budget Priorities Fared
When the General Assembly convened for a special 2021 session, we urged…

Equitable Rescue & Recovery: VPLC Special Session Budget Priorities
The Virginia General Assembly will convene in Richmond on Monday, August 2…

PRESS RELEASE: New anti-poverty laws take effect in Virginia today
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 1, 2021 The suite of new laws will…

New Housing Laws Take Effect Today
Big changes in housing law are taking effect in Virginia, with many…

PRESS RELEASE: Judge Orders VEC to Fix Issues at Agency
Judge Orders Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) to End Unemployment Insurance Backlog and…

Housing Advocacy Session Update: Week Three
Welcome to the third week of the 2021 legislative session. We have…

Housing Advocacy Session Update: Week Two
Welcome to the second week of the 2021 legislative session. We have…

Update from the Executive Director: Continuing the Fight for Economic Justice for All
The Virginia General Assembly is off and running. This is the 402nd…

Update from VPLC’s Housing Advocacy Team: Support Tenants’ Rights During 2021 Session
2021 legislative session starts today. Join us in supporting policies that improve…

Volunteers Needed for Eviction Legal Helpline
Research shows that eviction is a significant cause, not just a result,…

Car Title Lenders: Driving Borrowers into a Cycle of Debt
No one should profit from trapping and feeding on families through predatory…

E-loan sharking: the latest loan shark tactic used to evade Virginia law
Loan sharks—payday lenders that catch borrowers in debt traps by offering small…

Virginia candidates are raising money—but where is it coming from?
Recently, several stories surfaced about how much candidates are raising, but little…

Eviction Spotlight: Vietnam War vet faces eviction over PTSD-triggered confrontation with property manager
At VPLC, we witness many landlords taking advantage of low-income Virginians through…

Summer CAMHP in the Parks program brings community lawyering to mobile home parks
When residents of mobile home parks encounter a problem, legal aid attorneys…

New landlord-tenant laws, foster care reform, and restored driver’s licenses: new Virginia laws take effect July 1
Today, hundreds of new laws that passed during this year’s General Assembly…

Eviction Spotlight: Senior woman faces eviction from landlord over missing rent from housing authority
At VPLC, we witness many landlords taking advantage of low-income Virginians through…

Eviction Spotlight: Landlord illegally hauls woman’s mobile home into a vacant field on Easter weekend
We often hear that tenants are the problem when it comes to…

VPLC Pushes CFPB to Keep Consumer Protection Rules in Place for Lenders
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 16, 2019 CONTACT: Dana Wiggins, VPLC Director of…

Eviction Spotlight: Disabled Vietnam veteran faces eviction after Social Security check arrives late
We often hear that tenants are the problem when it comes to…

Eviction Spotlight: Getting evicted for criminal history related to untreated disabilities
We often hear that tenants are the problem when it comes to…
New Coalition Launches to Reform Virginia Energy Policy
For Immediate Release New Coalition Launches to Reform Virginia Energy Policy Lower…

Eviction Spotlight: Being forced out after filing a Tenant’s Assertion based on unlivable conditions
We often hear that tenants are the problem when it comes to…

VPLC’s 2019 Legislative Review
With another General Assembly session behind us and the dust settled after…

Eviction Spotlight: Chesterfield mother of three faces writ of possession executed against judgment
We often hear that tenants are the problem when it comes to…

Seven new laws that will help renters sleep easier
Renting your home from someone else isn’t always easy, especially when you’re…

Eviction Spotlight: Getting evicted after reporting sexual assault
We often hear that tenants are the problem when it comes to…

Solving the mobile home park problem
on an issue we’ve long been working on in Virginia: improving the…

Eviction Spotlight: Getting evicted after going to the press
We often hear that tenants are the problem when it comes to…

Eviction Spotlight: Virginia passed legislation this year to reduce evictions, but the problem is far from solved.
We often hear that tenants are the problem when it comes to…

Top tips for getting your finances on track
April is National Financial Literacy Month, a perfect time to get—and keep—your…

Don’t let payday lenders gut consumer protections from predatory loans
In 2017, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced a rule to…

Dominion promised $870 million for energy conservation. Now it’s walking back its commitment.
Earlier this year, Dominion Energy committed to $870 million in proposed energy…

Legislators Choose E-Loan Sharks Over Their Constituents and Legitimate Virginia Lenders
This year, VPLC teamed up with Virginia Consumer Finance Companies and the…

The economy is doing great. So why doesn’t it feel like it?
The media have been arguing about who should get credit for the…

Crossover Report | 2019 General Assembly
Tuesday, February 5, 2019, was “Crossover Day” in the General Assembly—the last…

VPLC Receives $90,000 Cy Pres Award from Class Action Settlement Against Predatory Internet Lenders
Early this year, VPLC received a generous cy pres award—a distribution of…

It’s Time to Regulate the Companies That Service Our Student Loans
Student loans make up the nation’s second largest consumer debt market. Over…

What are Forced Arbitration Clauses? And Why are VA Legislators Concerned About Their Use?
Many companies tuck forced arbitration clauses into their terms and conditions. They…

Helping Virginia Families by Reducing Wrongful Evictions
Virginia’s Eviction Crisis In the Spring of 2018, a study on nationwide…

VPLC Supports Legislation Regulating Line of Credit and Open-end Credit Lenders
Virginia law regulates payday and car title lenders by allowing them to…

Stop Internet Lenders From Destroying Our Consumer Finance Companies: Vote Yes on SB 1548
SB 1548 comes out of a study of the Consumer Finance Act…

Payday lending by any other name still stinks
“A rose by another name would smell as sweet.” (Romeo and Juliet).…

Tired of Candidates Not Tackling Real Issues like Housing? Welcome to CHACE
Tired of candidates discussing issues that are not really important to our…

Successfully Working Against Housing Discrimination
Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) and Central Virginia Legal Aid (CVLAS)…

Vote NO on HB 1248–Don’t Feed the Internet Loansharks
The Online Lending Alliance–a group of internet loansharks is circling Virginia…

Inclusionary Zoning: An Important Avenue to More Affordable Housing
In 2017, Virginia had enough affordable housing units for only 54 of…

Don’t get rid of mobile home parks—make them better!
Three hundred people in Manassas almost became homeless because of a faulty…

ALL payday lenders should follow the law
“When Pauline H, then 95 years old, moved back to Virginia so her…

Tired of Cadidates Not Tackling Real Issues like Housing? Welcome to CHACE
Tired of candidates discussing issues that are not really important to…

Virginians Should Insist On Fairness In Rent To Own Real Estate Transactions
In recent years, some real estate entrepreneurs have begun marketing homes…

Worried about identity theft? Proposed new law in Virginia may help.
You may recall the massive Equifax data breach that compromised the personal…

Student Loan Debt Is Also Contributing To Virginia’s Teacher Shortage
Governor McAuliffe recently took emergency action because Virginia’s teacher shortage “is a…

Banks need to respect their customers’ right to control their own account
Gilliam v. BB&T We are filing this lawsuit with the law firm…

A message from Virginia to internet lenders that prey on our residents:
The Virginia Poverty Law Center has teamed up with the law firms…

Why is Congress trying to gut laws passed to deal with Wall Street abuses?
The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote on the so-called…

Combining Efforts Can Be a Win for Tenants Across the Country
Inaccuracies in records and discriminatory renting practices that haunt tenants for years…

Location is Everything – Rental Housing Discrimination as a barrier to Economic Mobility
An important focus of VPLC’s housing work is on education, litigation and…

Kristi Kelly and Len Bennett Donate Their Time and Fees to Support Legal Aid in Virginia
Virginia legal aid programs are lucky to have private lawyers who donate…

End the Refund and Review Freeze
VPLC is joining with a bipartisan group of legislators asking Governor McAuliffe…

What are Car title Lenders Afraid of?
Facts. Car title lenders are deathly afraid of anyone looking closely at…

$15 Million Settlement in a “Tribe for Hire” Scam!
Virginia Poverty Law Center filed a class action lawsuit almost 3 years…

Line of Credit lenders are out of control and need some reasonable limits
Delegate David Yancey has tried for years to put some reasonable limits…

Virginians caught in the line of credit loan debt trap tell their story
R. Z. (DINWIDDIE, VA) I had fallen behind on rent, and to…

SUPPORT HB 1945
PROTECT VIRGINIA’S ADULTS FROM FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION SUPPORT HB 1945 (Peace) The…

Contracts for Military Members
Like everyone else, members of the armed services sign up for gym…

Adding Internet Lending to Virginia’s Consumer Finance Act – SB 1126 & HB 1443
SB 1126 and HB 1443 simply clarify existing Consumer Finance Act applies…

Here is what we have learned about internet loans from callers to our predatory loan hotline
Here is what we have learned about internet loans from callers to…

What We Have Learned About “Line of Credit Loans” from Our Hotline Callers
Here are the lessons we’ve learned directly from borrowers’ experiences with open-end,…

Real Borrowers Should be at the Center of the CFPB Rule
Both the Virginia Partnership to Encourage Responsible Lending (VaPERL) and the Virginia…

Rubber Stamp Justice: Can’t we stop this abuse?
Rubber Stamp Justice: Can’t we stop this abuse? Human Rights Watch released…

CFPB imposes $8 million penalty on a company sued by VPLC last year
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) took action this week against nationwide…

Dodd-Frank is only 5 years old—why are the big banks trying to kill it?
What is Dodd-Frank? It is the financial reform law that passed Congress…

Welcome to Shark Week 2015
Loansharks inflict economic violence on borrowers. “We may think of violence…

New Lending Rules Will Protect Troops from Predatory Lending
The following is blog post from VPLC’s Director of Outreach and Financial…

Christie Marra Winner of 2014 Virginia State Bar Legal Aid Award
Christie Marra, VPLC’s Family and Housing Law attorney, is the winner of…

Car-Title Lenders Surge in Northern Virginia
By Michael Pope, WAMU In the last few weeks, drivers have noticed…

12 On Your Side Alert: Warning About E-mail Loan Offers
By Gray Hall, NBC 12 There is a warning about a suspicious…

Renters vs. Landlords: New Law Offers New Recourse
By Alison Burns, Public News Service- VA Renters in Virginia have new…

12 On Your Side: Man Loses Money in Online Loan Scam
By Diane Walker, NBC 12 Scammers have put together a sophisticated scheme…

How to Stop Automatic Account Debits – Banks Must Comply
By Monique Coppola, Public News Service-VA April is National Financial Literacy Month, and…

Chesterfield Board Sets Policy for Alternative Lenders
By Jeremy Slayton, Richmond Times-Dispatch Chesterfield County leaders this week signed off…

Loans Thrive in Loopholes
Virginian-Pilot Editorial Certain products – cigarettes, medicines, booze, mortgages – are so…

Could Big Banks Help Rein in Payday Lenders?
By Mitchell Hartman, Marketplace/American Public Media JPMorgan Chase has announced new policies to limit the…

New Domestic Violence Bill Awaits Gov’s Signature
By Monique Coppola, Public News Service- VA Imagine you are a victim…

Wiggins Receives Economic and Social Justice Award
Dana Wiggins, who for six years has assisted Virginians who owe money…

Laws Protect Against Predatory Lenders
By Craig Carper, WCVE News A coalition of consumer protection advocates says…

VPLC Supports the 2013 SAFE Lending Act
Many online lenders think they are immune to state laws – The…

On Your Side Alert: Automatic Electronic Debits
By Gray Hall, NBC 12 In this age of technology, it’s likely…

Senate Poison Pill Could Allow more Mortgage Crises
By James W. Speer and Deborah Goldberg, Richmond Times-Dispatch Op-Ed What happens…

46,600 Virginians to Receive Foreclosure Fraud Settlement Checks
By Kelly Avellino, NBC 12 If you lost your home through foreclosure,…

Virginia Becomes Hub for Risky Car Title Loans
By Frederick Kunkle, The Washington Post When Brenda Ann Covington needed money…

12 Investigates: Homeowners Missing Out on Mortgage Settlement Money
By Rachel DePompa, NBC 12 Millions of dollars meant to help distressed…

New Data Shows Car Title Loans Big Business in Va.
By Michael Felberbaum, Associated Press Virginia car title lenders doled out nearly…

Bank of America Starts Mortgage Reduction Effort
By Natasha Singer, The New York Times Bank of America has started…

Need Quick Cash? Avoid These 6 Traps
By Barbara Diggs, Fox Business Don’t Risk Your Car With Title Loans Like payday…

Mortgage Settlement Relief Will Take Months
Predatory scammers are hard at work, falsely claiming to have an inside…

CashPoint Distributes Settlement Checks after AG Investigation
By Gray Hall, WWBT NBC12 A settlement check may be coming your…